Promoted ignition, and more recently, promoted combustion are terms which have been used to describe a situation where a substance with low oxygen compatibility ignites and promotes the combustion of a more combustion resistant material. The literature in recent years has been enriched by studies of this phenomenon as it relates to carbon steel, stainless steels and significant alloys in the nickel, cobalt and copper families.

However, the bulk of past literature has involved experiments conducted at ambient temperatures and elevated pressures. Published elevated temperature promoted ignition-combustion data and studies are scarce. Yet, applications involving the use of oxygen-enriched atmospheres at elevated temperatures are increasing.

In this paper, a unique experimental apparatus, which has been used to conduct flammability tests of engineering alloys at elevated temperatures and pressures in heated flowing oxygen, is described. Issues pertinent to elevated temperature flammability tests in heated oxygen are discussed. Promoted ignition-combustion data for carbon steel, stainless steel and nickel alloys in various heated pressurized oxygen gas mixtures at temperatures up to 895°C are presented and discussed.